Practical
Plants

Mercurialis annua

Annual Mercury

an annual member of the Mercurialis genus in the family Euphorbiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.5 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Bees, Flies, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is poisonous, but less so than the perennial M. perennis[5][7][8][9].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked[4][5][8][2]. They were at one time quite popular, being used like spinach[5]. The acrid principle is said to be destroyed by thoroughly boiling the leaves[5]. The raw leaves are poisonous[8]. It is probably wise not to eat the leaves of this plant[10].

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The whole plant, and especially the juice, is emetic, emollient and purgative. It is used externally to treat women's complaints, ear and eye problems, warts and sores[5][10]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[10]. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism, dropsy, diarrhoea and disorders of the gall bladder and liver[10].

Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Emollient
Product or use
Homeopathy
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Warts
Product or use
Women's complaints

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This species is a potential source of a very good drying oil[6].

Product or use
Oil

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to the Mediterranean. Azores.
Habitat
Waste places[3]. A common weed of cultivated soils, but it avoids acid soils[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A common garden weed in Britain, it should need little encouragement. When well suited, it tends to spread itself around too freely for most people's tastes[5]. It dislikes growing in shady positions. Plants are normally dioecious, though monoecious plants are sometimes found[5]. Male and female plants must normally be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  5. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  6. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  7. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

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  8. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

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  10. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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